The present invention relates to a plastic sheath for lumber, especially treated lumber, used for bulkheads and the like. More particularly, it relates to such a plastic sheath which affords a tongue-and-groove interconnection of adjacent sheathed boards.
Marine bulkheading is commonly made of wood which is chemically treated and milled to provide a tongue-and-groove connection for adjacent boards. Notwithstanding the chemical treatment, the wooden bulkhead is typically destroyed over time Marine "borers" e.g., worms and other sea creatures, will attack the area ranging between the high water mark and the bottom of the bulkhead, causing the bulkhead to eventually fail. These borers even attack any type of "CCA" or chemically treated lumber.
In addition, various towns and other municipalities are considering banning the use of chemically treated lumber for bulkheading due to the potential hazard of leaching of hazardous chemicals into the water and the possible environmental hazard that this might cause.
Various proposals have been made to overcome these problems such as using solid plastic sheathing in place of the treated lumber. Presently, solid plastic sheathing is being produced at a cost that is prohibitive to the average person living on the water. It is mainly being used in municipal projects.